Abstract:

As innovation cycles for new technology products accelerate, markets also demand more complex products with a highly individualized design. Particularly, electric cars represent this case and complexity is not only driven by product variants, but also by an increasing proportion and importance of software applications in value creation. The reference process which is used by automotive OEMs is the integrated product and process development which bases on the concept of simultaneous engineering. In contrast to conventional cars with a combustion engine, product architectures for electric vehicles can be planned differently with the lithium-ion battery as the central and most expensive component and can be designed with more degrees of freedom. Changes in terms of product architecture also imply that there are changes in the technological knowledge of the automotive OEM. This paper discusses how the methodic approach of product development can confront the described changes in automotive products and market demand. The paper emphasizes three fields of research concerning a fast and lean product development in the context of emobility. Firstly, integrated product and process development is examined. This is followed by an encounter of principles of scrum, an agile development method. Additionally, the paradigm of Return on Engineering and its implications are outlined.